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JIMMY SMOTHERS: Texas A&M brings proud tradition to SEC

By Jimmy SmothersTimes Sports Editor Emeritus

Published: Monday, May 7, 2012 at 9:31 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, September 6, 2012 at 10:12 a.m.

When something has been happening for a long time, rarely does anything new crop up. When it does a lot of people may resist it, especially if the tradition is something good. People don't want change just for the sake of changing.

This fall there will be a change in the Southeastern Conference football schedule, but not because the previous 12-team, two-division format was broken. It wasn't. Since the conference went to two divisions and a championship game, it has grown in popularity, in financial profits and in prestige. Today the SEC is the best college football conference in the nation.

However, following the advice of a former coach at a major school, it is harder to stay on top than it is to get there. The old coach also added that there is no standing still, that if you are not going forward, then you are going backward.

SEC commissioner Mike Slive and athletic directors at member schools took that advice into account when they decided to expand from 12 to 14 teams. Texas A&M and the University of Missouri were added and will be included on the schedule this fall.

Jason Cook, Vice President for Marking and Communications at Texas A&M, has written that this milestone has been greeted with much enthusiasm by Aggie fans. In his letter of “Greetings from Aggieland!” that arrived the other day, he included a folder explaining a few A&M traditions, some quick facts and a logo guide.

I thought it was neat that he cares enough about fans at opposing schools in what will be a new conference for Aggie athletic programs to inform them of the history and traditions of Texas A&M.

That old coach mentioned above used to urge his players and fans to welcome opposing fans with respect, treat them like kinfolk before and after the game, but to beat them handily on the playing field.

In order not to insult our visitors from College Station, Texas, when they come to Alabama to play football this fall, fans here need to know and understand something about those traditions.

Texas A&M will play at Auburn on Oct. 27 and at Tuscaloosa on Nov. 10. The Aggies have played both teams but have never been to either campus, so it's going to be a new experience.

The Aggies are 2-0 against Auburn, having won 16-0 in 1911 and 35-16 in the 1986 Cotton Bowl. Both games were played in Dallas.

Alabama beat the Aggies 29-12 in 1942 and lost 20-16 in 1968, both times in Cotton Bowl games. Alabama also won 23-10 in 1985 in Birmingham and 30-10 in 1988 in College Station.

Texas A&M is the Home of the 12th Man, a tradition that some people believe was started when Jackie Sherrill was the coach. Tide fans heard a lot about it when they went there for the 1988 game. But the tradition actually originated in 1922. The team was down to 11 players and a student left the stands, suited up and stood on the sideline ready to go into the game if needed. The tradition has continued with students sometimes standing for an entire game in support of their team. Sherrill continued the tradition by using regular students on the kicking team.

“Howdy” is the official greeting of A&M fans, used in the same manner as “Roll Tide” and “War Eagle” by Tide and Tiger fans.

Before home games, the students have “Midnight Yell Practice” at Kyle Field. The Aggie Band, Yell Leaders, current and former students and fans number upwards of 25,000 go through all the Aggie yells, some dating back a hundred years.

The Corps of Cadets Fightin' Texas Aggie Band is nationally acclaimed for its military precision and style. The school's Corps of Cadets numbers more than 2,000 (both male and female), and all are volunteers. It forms the largest uniformed body of students outside the U.S. military academies.

Reveille, the first lady of Aggie land, is the official mascot. It is a full-blooded collie and the highest ranking member of the Corps of Cadets. Reveille has the run of the campus and is often seen in classrooms or at a number of events.

The colors are Maroon and White, enrollment is 49,861 (sixth in the nation), academic ranking is tied for 19th among public universities. The school was founded in 1876 as the first public university in Texas.

Times Sports Editor Emeritus Jimmy Smothers can be reached at jmmys1@aol.com.

<p>When something has been happening for a long time, rarely does anything new crop up. When it does a lot of people may resist it, especially if the tradition is something good. People don't want change just for the sake of changing.</p><p>This fall there will be a change in the Southeastern Conference football schedule, but not because the previous 12-team, two-division format was broken. It wasn't. Since the conference went to two divisions and a championship game, it has grown in popularity, in financial profits and in prestige. Today the SEC is the best college football conference in the nation.</p><p>However, following the advice of a former coach at a major school, it is harder to stay on top than it is to get there. The old coach also added that there is no standing still, that if you are not going forward, then you are going backward.</p><p>SEC commissioner Mike Slive and athletic directors at member schools took that advice into account when they decided to expand from 12 to 14 teams. Texas A&M and the University of Missouri were added and will be included on the schedule this fall.</p><p>Jason Cook, Vice President for Marking and Communications at Texas A&M, has written that this milestone has been greeted with much enthusiasm by Aggie fans. In his letter of “Greetings from Aggieland!” that arrived the other day, he included a folder explaining a few A&M traditions, some quick facts and a logo guide.</p><p>I thought it was neat that he cares enough about fans at opposing schools in what will be a new conference for Aggie athletic programs to inform them of the history and traditions of Texas A&M.</p><p>That old coach mentioned above used to urge his players and fans to welcome opposing fans with respect, treat them like kinfolk before and after the game, but to beat them handily on the playing field.</p><p>In order not to insult our visitors from College Station, Texas, when they come to Alabama to play football this fall, fans here need to know and understand something about those traditions.</p><p>Texas A&M will play at Auburn on Oct. 27 and at Tuscaloosa on Nov. 10. The Aggies have played both teams but have never been to either campus, so it's going to be a new experience.</p><p>The Aggies are 2-0 against Auburn, having won 16-0 in 1911 and 35-16 in the 1986 Cotton Bowl. Both games were played in Dallas.</p><p>Alabama beat the Aggies 29-12 in 1942 and lost 20-16 in 1968, both times in Cotton Bowl games. Alabama also won 23-10 in 1985 in Birmingham and 30-10 in 1988 in College Station.</p><p>Texas A&M is the Home of the 12th Man, a tradition that some people believe was started when Jackie Sherrill was the coach. Tide fans heard a lot about it when they went there for the 1988 game. But the tradition actually originated in 1922. The team was down to 11 players and a student left the stands, suited up and stood on the sideline ready to go into the game if needed. The tradition has continued with students sometimes standing for an entire game in support of their team. Sherrill continued the tradition by using regular students on the kicking team.</p><p>“Howdy” is the official greeting of A&M fans, used in the same manner as “Roll Tide” and “War Eagle” by Tide and Tiger fans.</p><p>Aggies don't cheer, they yell. Instead of pep rallies, they have Yell Practice. Yell Leaders indicate the yells by hand signals.</p><p>One yell goes something like this:</p><p>Question from Yell Leader:</p><p>“What are we going to do with those Horned Frogs?</p><p>The answer from the students is, “Gig 'em, Aggies!”</p><p>Before home games, the students have “Midnight Yell Practice” at Kyle Field. The Aggie Band, Yell Leaders, current and former students and fans number upwards of 25,000 go through all the Aggie yells, some dating back a hundred years.</p><p>The Corps of Cadets Fightin' Texas Aggie Band is nationally acclaimed for its military precision and style. The school's Corps of Cadets numbers more than 2,000 (both male and female), and all are volunteers. It forms the largest uniformed body of students outside the U.S. military academies.</p><p>Reveille, the first lady of Aggie land, is the official mascot. It is a full-blooded collie and the highest ranking member of the Corps of Cadets. Reveille has the run of the campus and is often seen in classrooms or at a number of events.</p><p>The colors are Maroon and White, enrollment is 49,861 (sixth in the nation), academic ranking is tied for 19th among public universities. The school was founded in 1876 as the first public university in Texas.</p>
<p class="italic font120">Times Sports Editor Emeritus Jimmy Smothers can be reached at jmmys1@aol.com.</p>